Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1887-02-18

sASV SA0 CONAU iIeau SOu0StQlQE Oh MS
story. She had heard before this how
young lads in the east, filled with ro-
mantle notionss about western life and
adventure, sometimes left their luxu.
rious homes and found their w,.y out to
the ranches of the Pacific. Perhaps la
was one Of these.
As she looked at him, fancying al]
this, and realizing the terrible strait he
was in, and the probable dark fate that
was before him, her heart yearned with
true womanly sympathy and her feel
ing found expression before she was
able to restrain derself.
"Oh, how could You do it? How could
you do it," she suddenly exclaimed,
her voice quite full Of what she felt.
He looked up at her in wonder, but
as his eyes met hers he understood her.
II didn't do it. Upon my honor +
did not" he said. 1T was that man
Dennis"
Sacramento breathed q great sigh Of
relief. demonstrating was held in that
section to be crime worse than MUIR
der, and she was by no means free from
the popular estimate of its grave nature.
"Oh, I am glad of that!" cried she,
But" she hesitated, and then went
on doubtfully. "But, then, how was it
Why did you run away?"
1T was Dennis doings, their LAYING
it to mo. He did that to clear himself.
And after that you know as we'll as I dc
that there would have been no use in
trying to prove myself innocent. They
always hang q horse thief first and then
consider his guilt afterwards. had tc
run to save my life"
DO you know that there is reward
offered for your capture?"
Il know that the Regulators are after
me, answered the young fellow, sullen.
ly. "They came pretty near catching
me, too, this noon. I just escaped
them and came down the cannon by the
mountain trail. I have had hard run
for it, and what with no sleep for "a
hours, am about used up. I feel as
though I could not go another step when
1 saw your house. You-you have been
very good tome. I shall never for.
GET"
"But what are you going to do now ?"
interrupted Sacramento. "You are not
safe here"
II know it. But I threw them of
the track this noon, and lido not think
they are within five miles of me. Now,
l have had something to eat. I will
take to the woods again. I hope I NAV
get clear away. If I don't" his voice
trembled and tears came into his eyes.
If 1 don't I shall get hanging,
/ suppose. Oh, what fool was not
to prefer home to this sort of thing !
And yet, Wouldn't care much, either,
it it wasn't for my father and mother. "
And there the poor fellow fairly broke
down.
"Harkl" Sacramento exclaimed.
She had been crying, too; she could
not help it.
They both listened. In q moment
they heard plainly the sound of horses
coming down the trail. The girl turned
with instant self-possession.
eco in there! Quick! Quick! There
is not a moment to lose! Here take
your hat!"
And handing his hat to him, she
pushed him across the room and into
her own little room that led off from it.
Then she hurriedly cleared the table
again, barely finishing the task as the
horsemen halted at the door.
There were three Of them. One was
her father. Sacramento knew the 9th.
or two mon by sight, They were rough,
but of the better sort of those VIII
made up the jewellers of Kelly Gulch.
The faces of all three were stern
and forbidding, and they evidently had
been riding hard. They dismounted
together.
"Sac," began her father, as he en-
tered the door, "hev ye seen anything
Of young chap, afoot or horseback,
coming this way?"
Sacramento had expected the ques-
ton, and was ready for it. And she
meant, if possible, to answer without q
lie.
"A young chap, about eighteen years,
and five feet and half high, rather
good looking, and with red-top boots
on?" replied she,
eyes! yes! That's him !" cried one Of
the other men. Has he been here?"
II was only quoting him from this
handbill, said Sacramento, taking the
paper from the shelf where she had laid
"Then you hain't seen him at all ?"
asked her father
II have been right here all dav. and
nobody has gone by except Pete LARA
bee. It was he who gave me the bill.
Are you sure that he came this way, the
-the-horsethief?"
mo; but we didn't know but he
might. The chances is that he sloped
off to tho mountains, meanin' to 20
through Stovepipe pass. They'll git
him, though, afore shutdown"
tits shutdown now" observed Sacra-
mento.
"Then they've got him now" was the
sententious response. ."And we should
be late for the hangin' eff we sh'd go
back. Leastways" this was added to
his companions you'd better come in
and have q bite afore you Co."
So presently the three men sat down
to the supper that the young girl quick
~ prepared for them. And while they
were eating, she herself at her fathers
bidding, went out to take the saddle off
Bueno, his horse, aud give him feed.
As she approached the door once more,
. few minutes after, she heard words
which caused her to stop and listen.
"Idont like ter say anything against
tibet kid O. yourn, neighbor," one Of the
men was saying, !''buts it hez kinder
seemed ter me all ther whiles' though
she sorter he'd some, at on her mind
like. Ye don't spose she knows any
thing bout tibet young Teller AFTER all ?"
Sacramento's father laughed at this
as though it was too absurd to be. con-
sidered. ~ 49, x,>E =.